[Jobber Jim]

Wife and I were on an ice cream run to Lake Placid (Florida) when the bike's FI light came on, the engine RPM dropped and the instruments (speedometer, odometer, tripmeter) quit working. We were in cruise mode and the incident happened right after a large motor home passed us in the opposite direction causing a very strong wind buffet that shook the bike. I pulled to the side of the road (keeping the engine running with the trottle because it wanted to stall) and put the kickstand down. The FI light flashed "CODE 11". Later, at home, the service manual under the troubleshooting section for failed speedometer referred to CODE 11. All the other instruments work fine. I can turn on the main CRUISE button and the panel reads CRUISE, but I cannot set the cruise (no GREEN light). Since the bike is under extended warranty till 2010, I decided to let the dealer fix it. I suspect that the wind buffeting shook a wire connector loose somewhere in the wiring circuit. The 2003 bike has 38000 miles on it. Anyone experience this situation? What was the fix?

 

[Jobber Jim]

Follow up: Dealer called this morning to let me know that the vehicle speed sendor (on the right side of the engine block) had failed. I don't ever recall reading of this problem on this board. It may be a fluke, but since I had the Service Bulletin reweld on my 03, within a year, the ignition switch was replaced, as was the kill switch, the pulse generator sensor, the cam position sensor, and the computer. Now the vehicle speed sendor. I was wondering if during the welding of the frame that it may have gotten a voltage spike in the electrical system? Seems a lot of electrical failures in two years. Good thing I have the extended warranty.

 

[techdude2000]

Don't have any answers, but that does seem like alot of failures. Hopefully your dealer's mechanic isn't inducing some of those by fixing others. The wiring harness on this bike is pretty easy to screw up if they're not careful. :?

 

[W7AX]

Follow up: Dealer called this morning to let me know that the vehicle speed sendor (on the right side of the engine block) had failed. I don't ever recall reading of this problem on this board. It may be a fluke, but since I had the Service Bulletin reweld on my 03, within a year, the ignition switch was replaced, as was the kill switch, the pulse generator sensor, the cam position sensor, and the computer. Now the vehicle speed sendor. I was wondering if during the welding of the frame that it may have gotten a voltage spike in the electrical system? Seems a lot of electrical failures in two years. Good thing I have the extended warranty.

I doubt that is the case since the welding takes place with the swingarm off the bike.

 

[Roadie]

The swing arm is not removed when they did the recall welding. The battery is removed and the ECM and other electronics are unplugged. The main ground of the bike is disconnected. The alternater openings that expose the bushing are taped up so the grinding dust doesn't get into the alternater. Honda has a procedure for connecting the ground of the welding machine and as long as that procedure is followed there is no way the welding could hurt the bikes electrial system.

 

[Jobber Jim]

W7AX. I was not referring to the ABS speed sensor on the rear swingarm. THe failed unit was the engine speed sensor located on the lower right side of the engine behind the exhaust manifold.
Picked up the bike from the dealer on Saturday afternoon and took a ride around Lake Okeechobee on Sunday. The speedometer, cruise control, etc. work fine now. Dealer said it was the first speed sensor he ever replaced. It's a 20 minute job (plug and play).

 

[W7AX]

Follow up: Dealer called this morning to let me know that the vehicle speed sendor (on the right side of the engine block) had failed. I don't ever recall reading of this problem on this board. It may be a fluke, but since I had the Service Bulletin reweld on my 03, within a year, the ignition switch was replaced, as was the kill switch, the pulse generator sensor, the cam position sensor, and the computer. Now the vehicle speed sendor. I was wondering if during the welding of the frame that it may have gotten a voltage spike in the electrical system? Seems a lot of electrical failures in two years. Good thing I have the extended warranty.

I doubt that is the case since the welding takes place with the swingarm off the bike.

Hi Jim: In the case of my 03 with a broken frame, the swingarm was removed and shipped to Honda for repair. Took over 5 weeks total